Dodgers starting pitcher Rich Hill will rejoin the rotation on Tuesday in Chicago for the first time since he left his May 19 start after only two pitches because a blister on his finger ripped open. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

LOS ANGELES — Rich Hill drove to Lake Elsinore on Thursday to see if the blister on his pitching hand had fully healed. He got so much more.

Hill threw 75 pitches over 4-2/3 innings for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga in his rehab start. Ten of the 14 outs he recorded came on strikeouts and there were no problems with the persistent blister on his middle finger, now calloused over.

“I’m looking forward to pitching Tuesday,” said Hill, who will rejoin the Dodgers’ rotation in Chicago for the first time since he left his May 19 start after only two pitches, that blister on his finger having ripped open.

But Hill’s anticipation is fueled by more than just the satisfaction of being cleared to return. He also made some adjustments in his delivery during his down time that he said showed definite results in the quality of his pitches Thursday night.

“It felt great,” he said. “I would say my curveball was probably the best it’s been in three years. My fastball was as good as it was in 2016 and last year. We made a few mechanical changes, small changes that made a huge difference. The ball was really coming out of my hand the way that I want it to.”

The changes involved only a slight shift in his balance during his delivery. Instead of getting onto the toes of his left foot against the rubber, he shifted his weight more onto his heel. That small difference allowed him to get better direction to the plate, Hill said, and gave his curveball “real 12-to-6 spin.”

“It felt like it was breaking five feet,” Hill said. “I’ll be interested to see how it plays on Tuesday. I just felt the changes I made really freed my hand up, freed my arm up.”

Hill – who was 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in six starts this season – said he will continue to receive treatment on his middle finger daily in ordered to prevent the blister from returning. He has been using a laser device on his finger multiple times a day and dipping his hand in a bucket of rice to keep it “as dry as possible.”

UTLEY AGE

The Dodgers brought in 19-year-old minor-league right-hander Elio Serrano to throw in a simulated-game setting to veteran infielder Chase Utley on Friday afternoon. Roberts said Utley will likely be activated from the DL during next week’s series in Chicago. He has been out since May 29 with a thumb injury.

But this sim game was notable for another reason. Serrano’s father (also named Elio) was a teammate of Utley’s in 2001 at Class-A Clearwater and 2002 at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre in the Philadelphia Phillies’ farm system.

The elder Elio Serrano (also a right-handed pitcher) never made it to the majors. But the younger Elio took a photo with Utley after the sim game and sent it to his father.

ALSO

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw threw another bullpen session on Friday afternoon, even sitting down and simulating an inning break halfway through. He could be ready to take the next step and throw to hitters, either in a simulated-game situation or on a rehab assignment.

“The most important thing is he feels good, executed all his pitches,” Roberts said of the 55-pitch throwing session. “So I think the next step for us is to evaluate if it’s a sim game or rehab assignment. We’re going to get together and figure out what’s best for Clayton.”

The Dodgers put reliever Pedro Baez on the DL on Friday with biceps tendinitis. Baez is second on the team in relief appearances (behind Josh Fields) and tied for the most relief innings pitched (30-2/3). Kyle Farmer was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill Baez’s spot on the roster. Farmer spent the first six weeks of the season with the Dodgers, batting .230. In Triple-A, Farmer was batting .281 and had played all four infield positions as well as catcher.

Bill Plunkett has covered everything from rodeo to Super Bowls to boxing (yeah, I was there the night Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear off) during a career that started far too long ago to mention and eventually brought him to the OC some time last century (1999 actually). He has been covering Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register since 2003, spending time on both the Angels and Dodgers beats.